The Senate (in Dutch: Eerste Kamer der
Staten-Generaal (pronunciation(help·info), literally "First
Chamber of the States-General"), short Eerste
Kamer), It was established in 1815, when the Netherlands
and Belgium emerged as a
single state at the end of the Napoleonic wars,
and continued after Belgian secession in 1830.

It currently has 75 members, elected by the members of the
twelve States-Provincial (provincial
councils) every four years. Unlike the politically more significant
House of
Representatives, it meets only one day a week. Its members tend
to be veteran politicians or part-time politicians at the national
level, often having other roles. It has the right to accept or
reject legislative proposals, but not to amend them or to initiate
legislation. Members of the Senate are elected indirectly through
the States-Provincial, which in turn are
elected by the people of the Netherlands every four years. The
States-Provincial work in the same way as the House of
Representatives. After elections for the States-Provincial, their
new membership elects people to take a seat in the Senate.